Just how "barbless" do I need to be???

[mikechell 0]

I could understand if a fly rod was so flexible that the phenomenon could happen that you describe though.

 

It was an "Eagle Claw" spin/fly travel rod. I've had two now, and they are very flexible ... but only for a short while, I guess. I've broken every section of each of the two, using each one to extend the life of a usable rod. No more of that. After the rod broke on a hook set yesterday, I'll be looking for a new brand of travel rod now.

[Bruce Norikane 0]

Okay ... I know I've gone through this before. I hate California. Before it was with trips to the Delta area and no bass to be found. This time it's the Stanislaus River, Sacramento Pike and probably some trout looking at and flashing by my flies all day long. Nothing taking a hook, though. I moved three different times, trying a different section of the river each time. In all places, I could see fish, I could see them checking out my offerings ... and I watched them swipe at them without taking anything.

I even tried fishing with 6X tippet (which is a bitch to see) and got the same response.

And then, to top it all off, the river tripped me, getting my phone and my camera wet.

 

Of course, I'll try again tomorrow, probably, but now I won't be able to call for help if I get in trouble. Maybe that's the river's plan.

 

Aaackk! I hate those days.

 

Having the fish laugh at us is tough enough, but when the river gods claim your phone and camera - you feel cursed....

 

Better luck with the rest of the trip. Traveling without a cell phone just sucks - I'd be reaching into my pocket a hundred times a day and coming up empty. I know we are spoiled, but that's one situation that's actually a lot better with technology.

 

Wish you the best

[mikechell 0]

Thanks Bruce. Seems it's all worked out in the end.

I got to the Verizon Store in Stockton after work today. Bought a replacement phone for $50.00.

The man I worked with, also noticed that I was paying an older plan that cost $10.00 more per month than I needed. I switched to the newer plan. Then he typed in my company name and we found out that there's a discount through my company. 14% off the monthly bill! This is great news, and bad news.

Back home, at our local store, we were told the same phone would cost almost $200 without signing a new plan. We have also never been informed that our bill was higher than it needed to be for my plan, or that there was a company discount. When I get home, I will be confronting our local store and writing a good, long letter to Verizon.

[epzamora 0]

Glad you got a great deal on a new phone! and i too wrap my line around the reel foot and run the hook to a guide in the middle section of the rod for quick deployment.

 

as for the original subject, i was fishing the upper owens a few weeks back and my buddies and i were checked by the california warden. he simply checked the flies we were currently using, close visual inspection. he never touched the rod and gave us the go-ahead.

 

eric

fresno, ca.

[mikechell 0]

Found a little different place to fish today ... took me a while to find it, so I only got a couple of cast before I had to climb back out of the ravine. Didn't catch anything, but it's promising for tomorrow afternoon or Thursday.

Just for everyone's amusement or consolation, whichever fits your location ... this is the outside temperature display from my car's dash today.

 

 

And tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter.

[kennebec12 0]

Whew! 108? It was deadly 86 up here in Maine today, everyone asks the question "Hot enough for ya?" and half the population doesn't want to do anything but sit in the A/C.

 

As for fishing, what size flies have you been tossing out there? Obviously I know nothing of the bugs in California, but this time of year for me it's usually tiny fly time. Size 18 and smaller, maybe get away with 16, which seems like it would be small for your arsenal. So you could try to catch a few fish on a size 4-6 streamer by letting it dead drift downstream into about the middle of a pool then strip it in till it's 'swimming' upstream right where the current breaks and hold it there (the trick is the pause in the dead drift and then suspending it in the current, like the bait got caught in a fast current and drifted stunned then recovered in slower water and started swimming upstream like it normally would be). The injured and recovered bait trick has pulled me out of the skunk zone a couple times.

[mikechell 0]

I tried everything ... I even bought a couple of size 18 nymphs and some 6x tippet ... none of which put me on a trout.

But I am an old kid, and catching those little bass ran up my fun meter just fine. I can hardly wait to get into some all day next weekend.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Did you buy a couple of nymphs Mike? I thought this was a fly tying forum not a fly buying forum? :-) Just kidding, i bought 2 salmon flies last summer when away from home!

[mikechell 0]

I'd have to buy that size. I wouldn't even attempt to tie something that requires a magnifying glass. I'll leave that to you cold water anglers.

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

Yea, it's easier for us to pinch down the barbs on those small trout flies.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Did you tie 6x tippet onto a thicker pease of straight mono Mike? You better watch out, thats getting close to a tappered leader!:-)

[mikechell 0]

No, not really. I used a popper as an indicator ... tied the 6x line to the eyes of the popper and the nymph.

So, I don't think it qualified as a knotted leader.

[artimus001 0]

No, not really. I used a popper as an indicator ... tied the 6x line to the eyes of the popper and the nymph.

So, I don't think it qualified as a knotted leader.

otherwise known as the 'FLA Popper Dropper setup'.

[Jedicazador 0]

Bringing back some memories of fishing Oakdale I wish I could remember the water I fished there got into some monster trout. Good luck and make a stop at Mt. Mikes pizza I used to manage all of em owned by John Maddox. They had a very good pizza

[mikechell 0]

LOL Mountain Mike's ... almost daily lunch run. All you can eat salad and pizza for 10 bucks.

But the main reason I go there so often ... DESSERT PIZZAAAAAA !!!!!

 

But I am home now, and fishing the St. Johns River again, tomorrow. No restrictions on barbs there !!! YEAH !!!